In every period of history, there have been individuals who have chosen sexual identities that do not coincide with the characteristics of biological masculinity or femininity. Today, at least in the West, LGBTI people can be said to no longer face allegations of perversion in academic and scientific discourse. However, in Turkey, the human-rights situation of homosexuals remains somewhat below what could be accepted as the ideal level. First and foremost, homosexuality is not defined as a legal identity in the sphere of the individual’s own personal freedom and privacy. Families do not stop at not wanting to accept that their children are homosexual; they also fight against it, routinely forcing their LGBTI children to become heterosexual through treatment or pressure. As for civil service, compulsory military service and the prison system, homosexuals are subject to major abuses of their basic human rights and even their rights as citizens, stemming from the attitude of the state. This study aims to identify the problems faced by LGBTI individuals, to determine the source of these problems, taking into account the dynamics specific to Turkey, and to propose solutions to these problems.

In every period of history, there have been individuals who have chosen sexual identities that do not coincide with the characteristics of biological masculinity or femininity. Today, at least in the West, LGBTI people can be said to no longer face allegations of perversion in academic and scientific discourse. However, in Turkey, the human-rights situation of homosexuals remains somewhat below what could be accepted as the ideal level. First and foremost, homosexuality is not defined as a legal identity in the sphere of the individual’s own personal freedom and privacy. Families do not stop at not wanting to accept that their children are homosexual; they also fight against it, routinely forcing their LGBTI children to become heterosexual through treatment or pressure. As for civil service, compulsory military service and the prison system, homosexuals are subject to major abuses of their basic human rights and even their rights as citizens, stemming from the attitude of the state. This study aims to identify the problems faced by LGBTI individuals, to determine the source of these problems, taking into account the dynamics specific to Turkey, and to propose solutions to these problems.